Visit to the Camp Penal
Dr. Elson made a significant sacrifice by abandoning his surgery work to join us in Antalaha and provide assistance to Hanitra, Lalao and me. Despite losing a substantial amount of income he would have earned if he had stayed, he couldn't bear the stories and photos depicting the starvation occurring in Antalaha Prison.
While he was there, he explored in detail the possibility of developing the extensive agricultural land holdings that the prisons already own. The goal would be to produce a large amount of the food within the prison system itself.
Mr. Franco, the Chef d'Éstablissement took us on a hike to the Antalaha Prison farmland, a verdant 10 hectare property. This formerly held a small low security prison and guard's quarters which were destroyed by a cyclone. I was impressed that a man of such high ranking would take the time to walk with rubber sandals through rough paths, jumping over small streams with us.The land already has large numbers of various fruit trees going to waste. Rice fields used to flourish and can be recovered if the reservoir and canal systems are repaired. Elson and Mr. Franco discussed potential designs for a guard's house and prison for between thirty to fifty inmates. They also discussed the need for a tractor in each of the farmlands.
The prison system owns another even larger piece of farmland further out which provides an exciting opportunity for even more food production. With the right funding, the prison's existing farmland could provide food security not only for the Antalaha prison but for other prisons as well, says Dr. Elson..
When the Head of the Penitentiary heard of our interest in farmland, he was keen to show us the prison property in Sambava. We offered him a ride, Bruce served us a nice lunch, after which the three set off on a long outing to check it out. Upon their return, Hanitra was bubbling with excitement. "Tamara we found the Garden of Eden." We were shown photo after photo of lush, idyllic property. A small thatched hut housed the guard, while prisoners farmed the land and tended to animals; no fences, no bars, no lockdowns.They were more than happy to do manual labor, knowing full well that the alternative would be to return to the dreaded Antalaha men's section.
This model has huge potential. One of the complaints that we kept hearing is that hardened criminals are housed together with those charged with for petty crimes. Why not move the low security prisoners to the farmland detention center to grow food for the prisons? Also, many of our kids are seventeen this year and when they turn eighteen, will be turned over to the major section. Without family to give them supplemental food, they will surely become malnourished or die. Shifting these kids to work the land will give them skills in animal husbandry, farming, perhaps construction if they help build new buildings as the program develops.
